Blood Red Sandman
by Creepy666Anubis
Summary: The Sphere kidnaps Cheng and Cortes holds himself responsible. When he is unable to find Cheng, even with the help of Death, Cortes chooses another solution. And the Sphere soon learns that you shouldn't mess around with Jack the Ripper.
1. Prologue

**_A/N Yes, this is the sequel to "The Devil hides behind her smile". It's not necessary to read that before reading this, but you might want to._**

**_Anyway: Enjoy the prologue._**

* * *

Cortes walked from one end of the room to the other. Again and again. Like a lion trapped in a cage.

Again and again.

'Cortes, will you stand still for one minute. You're making me nervous.' Dahlia said.

'How do you think I feel?' he growled at her.

Dahlia wanted to say something, but Wayan shook his head.

'Don't, Dahlia.' he whispered to her. 'When he's in this state, nobody can calm him down.'

Finally Cortes sat down, but rage was still visible on his face.

_How the hell could I let this happen? I should never have left him alone. Now he's in the hands of those…Those...Those monsters._

In any other situation, Cortes would have laughed at himself for thinking that. It was ironic, a half-zombie that called humans "monsters".

But this wasn't any other situation.

Cheng was kidnapped.

Suddenly he stood up and left the room. From the window, Dahlia, Wayan and the vector saw him walking down to the village.

Dahlia was the only one who knew where he was going.

His Grandfather.

Death.


	2. Jack's BACK

_**A/N SOOOOOO sorry this took so long to update. My school grades are a bit low lately and my mother didn't allow me to use the computer.**_

_**Anyway: ENJOY**_

_**XxX**_

Death wasn't home. Again. Well, he did have a busy job.

Cortes stared at his mirror image in the window. He was in his real form for once. A biker zombie with ginger-blond hair.

He sighed. How could he let Cheng fall into the arms of the Sphere? How the hell could he, the grandson of Death, son of a zombie, break the promise he made to Jade?

'Hello again, Aran.'

Cortes turned around. Death had just walked through the door.

'Hello, grandfather.'

'I take that this is not a social visit.'

'No. I need your help to find Jade's son.'

'I thought he was with you.'

Cortes bit on his lip. 'He's been kidnapped by the Sphere.'

'Oh. Sorry.'

'I need your help finding him.'

'If there's anything I can do, I'll be glad to do it. What's his name?

'Cheng Harada.'

Silence.

'Are you sure? The only Cheng Harada I can find is a 55-year-old.'

Cortes sighed.

'Try Cheng Cortes.'

Death tilted his head. 'There's...Something. I know he exists but…'

Cortes let out another sigh. 'Don't bother. I should've known. He's my son, you can't get a clear signal of him.'

Death looked at his grandson. 'I'm truly sorry, Aran.'

Cortes turned around. 'It's not your fault.'

XxX

Back in his own house, Cortes sat down on his bed. The thought had been floating around in his head the entire way back, but he knew the consequences.

On the other hand, he would definitely get his son back.

_But what if I can't stop when I have Cheng back?_

_Who cares? A few Sphere leaders more or less will hardly make a difference._

_But they'll figure out that there's a Pirate behind this!_

_And how? Hello, half zombie, remember?_

Cortes continued arguing with himself for several more minutes.

Then he took his decision.

He got up and got the old cardboard box from his closet.

He checked if everything was still there.

Leather apron, knives, sedatives.

He smiled vaguely.

Jack the Ripper was back in business.


	3. The first victim

_**A/N Been a while, I know. Plot bunny took a holiday without informing me.**_

_**I think the suicide bunnies had something to do with it.**_

XxX

'Where. Is. The. Boy?' The zombie asked, holding the knife to the Sphere lieutenant's throat.(_**I'm naming him Bob for easy reference**_)

Bob shivered from fear. He had tried using his powers on the guy, but it didn't work. Then the zombie had injected him with something and now he could't use his powers at all.

'C-C-Commander Oslo has h-h-him. Please, don't kill me! I have a family!'

The zombie growled, then brought his face closer to Bob's.

'Well guess what? So did all the people you killed.'

And with that, the zombie cut Bob's throat.

XxX

The next morning, Bob was found by one of the younger Guardians. She was heavily shocked by what she saw, and needed a lot of counseling to get over it.

It wasn't exactly a pretty sight. Bob was disembowelled, his infestants put around his neck like a scarf.

The white blanket was stained with blood drops, obviously it had been used to handle the infestants.

And on the walls, written in blood:

_They called me the leather apron_

_They called me smiling Jack_

_And they preyed to the heavens above_

_That I would never ever come back_

_Can you hear how the children weep?_

_Chills of fear like a sawblade, cutting deep_

_Once again_

_There is pain_

_I bring flames_

_I bring cold_

_I'm the Blood Red Sandman_

_Coming home_

_On this unholy night I will make you my own_

_Blood Red Sandman_

_Coming home again_

_I'm coming home again_

XxX

Cortes lay on his bed, shivering.

Killing gave him such a thrill,hence is why he did it all those years ago. But he should stop. He _needed _to stop. What if someone would find out? Or what if he became addicted to it again, just like back in 1888?

XxX

_**Short, I know, but I guess that's just my style.**_

_**Song is Blood Red Sandman, by Lordi. They own full rights it it, not me.**_

_**Skyland © The dude that made it.**_


	4. Concerns

_**A/N Yes! Finally another one! Woohoo! *dances***_

_**I am so proud of myself.**_

_**I'll be leaving for three days so I won't be able to work on this for a while, so enjoy!**_

_**XxX**_

'So, Jack's back in business.' Dahlia said as she walked into Cortes' cabin.

They had just gone on a water mission. Night had fallen and most of the crew was asleep.

Except for the guards and them.

Cortes didn't reply.

'Do you honestly think that is the only way?'

'Well, if you have a better suggestion, I'll be damn glad to hear it!' the Captain snapped.

Dahlia just stared at his outburst.

He sighed. 'I'm sorry. It's just that...I already tried everything I can think off. And at least I know where his is now.'

He walked over to the window. The full moon shone bright on his face.

Dahlia put a hand on his shoulder.

'Wouldn't it be better if you let Jade handle this?'

'No.' He turned his head to look at her. 'Jade is being hunted down by those religious freaks, remember? It would only do harm to her _and _Cheng.'

Silence. Cortes stared out the window again.

After a few minutes, Dahlia spoke up again. 'Does she even know?'

A dark cloud hid the moon from sight.

'No.'

XxX

Back in her own room, Dahlia fell down onto her bed. She really needed to sleep. But she couldn't. She was too busy with thinking about the entire situation.

If Cortes said that he had already tried everything else that he could think off, that probably literally meant _everything_. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his son.

And killing people again was something he'd only do if he had no other option.

XxX

'Dahlia? You seem a bit distracted.' Mahad whispered in her ear.

She was flying the ship, he sat on the stairs next to her. It was pretty normal for them. Ever since they started dating each other, all they wanted was just spend time together.

Because they knew how easily time could be running out.

Not that they ever thought of that when they got intimate.

'It's just that I'm worried about Cheng.'

'Yeah. I don't understand why Cortes doesn't do anything.'

_Oh darling, you have absolutely no idea. _Dahlia thought.

'The safety and the water supply of Puerto Angel comes first, Mahad. You know that.'

'I do. But it's just...I can't stand the thought of what they might be doing to him right know.'

'Neither can Cortes, Mahad. Neither can Cortes…'

XxX

Cheng shivered. He was cold, thirsty, hungry, but above all, _frightened_. He had been beaten a bit, but he didn't care. But he wanted out. Badly.

He wanted to be with Cortes again, he wanted to be held in his arms and comforted, just like Cortes used to do when he was still a kid.

Tears rolled down his cheeks when he thought back of those days. They were happy days.

Much different from now.

But why didn't Cortes come to save him?

Had the Sphere been right? Did Cortes not love him at all? Did he just use him because of his great knowledge of computers?

_No. _He said to himself firmly. _Cortes is not like that. Cortes is not like THEM. Cortes is not like the Sphere. _


	5. Not your fault

_**A/N I need to plan this stuff...Just doing too much lately.**_

_**Enjoy the new chapter!**_

_**XxX**_

_Red drops stain satin so white_

_The way I sign my name_

_The neighbourhood's pretty dead at night_

_And I'm the one to blame_

Cortes stared at the miracle of his work. Sure, it was psychopathic, but psychopathic done well is art.

His victim was a woman this time. A pretty beautiful one at that.

He didn't like the fact that he had taken the life of a woman so young, so full of potential. But after she had given him the info that he wanted - namely, the cell block where Cheng was and the name of the person who had the access code - he couldn't risk having her live. Besides, if she told anyone, she'd be killed by the Sphere in a much more painful way.

He had actually been quite merciful to her. He also didn't make this as...bloody as the previous one. Just her throat slit and removing her heart.

Well, now he thought of it, that wasn't much better.

As he got off the Monolith, he jumped from block to block. He could've used his father's motorcycle, but he didn't want to. He needed fresh air.

And he had to think off a way to kill his toughest victim yet.

Jelola.

XxX

After Commander Oslo's death, Edward Johansen had become the new Commander. Of course, the Sphere couldn't let anyone know that the real Commander Oslo had been killed by a Pirate, so he had gone through plastic surgery to look exactly like Oslo.

He sighed. Being another man wasn't fun. But it was necessary. The Pirates needed to be crushed like the plague they were, and if this was the way to do it, so be it.

He had another problem on his hands now though.

Murders.

Someone was systematically killing Sphere agents. And doing a pretty good job too.

Security footage didn't leave any clue either, for all there was to see on them was a zombie. And zombies didn't exist.

Right?

He shook his head at the possibility. If he started becoming paranoid enough to believe that monsters actually existed, he'd be removed from the Sphere and maybe even killed.

Oh, sure, he wasn't as delusional as most of the younger guardians and knew exactly how cruel the Sphere was. But they killed to keep the order in Skyland. They did it for a good cause.

That is what he was told, at least.

And why would they lie to him?

XxX

Dahlia sighed as she observed Cortes walking down the streets of Puerto Angel. He always did that when he couldn't sleep. And she knew exactly what kept him up now.

He had killed again.

Dahlia couldn't help but wonder who he killed this time and hope it was worth it. Despite being a rather psychopathic murderer, Cortes did have a conscience. She wondered how long it'd take before it started nagging him.

Two hands slid around her body and two warm lips were pressed against her neck.

Mahad.

She softly moaned of pleasure while she bended her neck so he could reach it better.

'What are you looking at?' he softly whispered to her neck.

'Nothing special.' she replied, turning around to kiss him. 'But now I am.'

XxX

Dahlia wasn't the only one who had seen Cortes wandering around. Mila also had been unable to sleep. When she saw Cortes walk past, head hung low, she knew something was wrong.

Of course, she didn't know that he was actually out killing, nor did she know he was a monster. But then again, she had been married to a half-mummy without knowing it, so that wasn't much of a surprise.

She went out the door and followed him to the edge of the block. For a while, he just stood there, watching the other blocks slowly float by.

'Hello, Cortes.' she finally said.

Cortes muttered something that sounded like a hello, but didn't look up. He had known she was behind him before she even opened her mouth. That had nothing to do with weird zombie powers, he had heard her.

'What's wrong?' she asked, as she walked over to him.

'What do you think?'

'Cortes…' she said gently.

'Don't give me that entire speech of "It's not your fault", Mila. Don't you think I've heard that enough already?'

'Well, it IS to your fault.'

Cortes made a strange growling noise, causing Mila to take a step back. He reminded her of an animal sometimes.

And now he was an animal that was desperate to find it's child back.

The most dangerous kind.

She shifted her weight uncomfortably.

'Cortes…'

'It IS my fault, Mila.' he suddenly snapped. He turned around, facing her.

'No, it's not.'

He just sighed and turned around again.

'I promised Jade that nothing would ever happen to him.' he said, tears choking his voice.

Mila was silent.

'That's a strange promise to make.' she said. Then she put a hand on his shoulder. 'But Aran,' she continued, knowing that she took a big risk calling him by his first name, 'you can't control everything. And besides, we'll get him back. Whatever it takes.'

He shook her hand of his shoulder and walked back home. Mila watched his retreating back as her thoughts wandered to Cheng.

She knew the Sphere. They would probably be torturing him. Poor kid.

XxX

Cortes let Mila's words sink in as he walked.

"If only she knew what I was doing…"

XxX

_**I…Have absolutely no idea when the next chapter will be up. I do hope it'll be soon, plot bunny is going crazy in my head over this.**_

_**Thnx for readin'!**_


	6. Saved

Cortes was surprised when he found his front door open. He had closed it, he was sure. Who could it be?

Cautiously, he walked into the living room, peering around the door to see who it was.

'Jade?'

Cheng's mother sat on the sofa, looking up at him.

'Aran...Cheng…'

Cortes sighed and slumped down next to her. 'Dahlia told you, didn't she.'

The beautiful Asian with the green eyes nodded. 'She felt like she couldn't keep this from me.'

Cortes suddenly found his fingernails very interesting.

'Aran…' she sighed. 'It's not…'

'My fault? Sorry Jade, had that from Dahlia and Mila already.'

'Well, a third time won't hurt.'

'Jade...Please...Not now. Any day, any time. Just not now. What happened to those crazed Christians anyway?'

'Mom took care of them and don't change the subject.'

Cortes turned away from her.

She wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder.

'Look, I know what you're doing. The won't harm Cheng. They're not stupid. If they do, it'll bring a major rebel attack on the move, not to mention the youngest in the Guardian school are his age.'

'Do you honestly believe that they will care?'

'Well, that, and they started to figure out that the murders that are all over the news by now are linked to his kidnapping so…'

He turned towards her and hugged her tightly. She crawled onto his lip and pressed her lips in his neck. He let out a soft groan, sounding like a wounded animal, and then their lips melted together in a kiss.

XxX

Dahlia groaned in her sleep, wearing only the necklace her mother send her not that long ago. Mahad smiled lightly as he watched her sleep beside him, the strong back turned towards him.

It was only then that he noticed she was having a nightmare.

'Dahlia?'

'Mmm! No! No! Stop! He's just a kid!'

'Dahlia?' he shook her body slightly to wake her up.

'Mmm...Wha?'

In one swift move she sat up, sweat pouring down her forehead. Then two arms wrapped around her.

'Dahlia? What's wrong?'

'Cheng...The Sphere...They were giving him electric shocks...It was horrible…'

He pulled her closer towards him. 'Shhh...it's over now, Dahlia. It's over now…'

XxX

In reality, what the Sphere was torturing Cheng with wasn't anything physical. They chose an easier option. They lied to him.

Commander "Oslo" sat on a chair opposite to the tied-down boy, looking harshly in his eyes.

'You know, your parents are still alive.' he said.

Cheng blinked. What?

'They're working for us. They betrayed the Rebellion. They made it possible for us to kill Marcus Farrell.'

"NO!" Cheng thought. That couldn't be true. Cortes had always spoken about his mother as a loyal and lovely person and cheng would've loved to have known her. But the Sphere took that away from him.

Or did they? Were they really still alive.

'Where are they then? I wanna see them.' His throat was dry and he could barely speak, but Cheng somehow managed to get the words out of his throat.

'Well, they don't want to see you. They hate you, little boy. That's why they left you.'

Cheng clenched his fists. Not true! Not true!

'Cortes doesn't love you either.' the Commander continued. 'He just took you in because no one else wanted to.'

After that, he stood up and left, leaving Cheng alone to cry silently.

XxX

Jelola nearly died of fright when she saw the two monsters appearing before her, a zombie and some sort of ghost thing. Both seemed not too nice.

After they got the info they wanted from her, they mercilessly tore her heart out.

_Can you hear how the children weep?_

_Chills of fear like a sawblade cutting deep..._

_Once again there is pain,_

_I bring flames I bring cold_

_I'm the Blood Red Sandman coming home_

_On this unholy night I will make you my own_

_Blood Red Sandman coming home again_

_I'm coming home again!_

_Scream all you want you won't wake up when you scream_

_No-one leaves... The Monsterican Dream_

_Can you hear how the children weep?_

_Chills of fear like a sawblade cutting deep..._

_Once again there is pain,_

_I bring flames I bring cold_

_I'm the Blood Red Sandman coming home_

_On this unholy night I will make you my own_

_Blood Red Sandman coming home again_

_I'm coming home again!_

They smiled at each other. The last one was done, they had every info they wanted.

Now, to liberate Cheng…

XxX

Cheng nearly screamed when the ghost flew through his wall.

Odd. She seemed to have something vaguely familiar. Had he seen her before?

She cut the ropes that tied him to the chair with her long nails. He felt one scrape past his hand, causing a deep, bleeding wound.

Then the lock of the door melted and the door was violently pushed open to reveal a zombie.

Strange. He too had something familiar.

They carried him out, not responding to his questions.

They walked for a long time until the reached a block Cheng was familiar with. It was near Puerto Angel.

Then, everything became black.

XxX

Cortes gently placed his son on the ground. He couldn't risk taking the boy with him already.

Jade, still in her scary half-ghost form knelt down next to him; placing her hand on his head.

After ten seconds, she stood up again.

'I erased his memory. He won't remember a thing.' she told Cortes.

The half-zombie nodded.

'It's better for him that way.'

'I have to leave now, Aran. Take care of him.' she whispered, casting a last look on her soon. 'And of yourself.'

Cortes wrapped his arms around her waist, not bothered by the rotting bits of flesh.

'You too.' he whispered, before gently pressing his lips on her again.

'Goodbye.'

And with that, Jade once again vanished.

It was Dahlia who found Cheng the next morning. Thinking he must've somehow escaped, the Pirates treated him as a hero.

But what was most important to Cheng was that Cortes held him in his arms the first night he was back, whispering comforting words in his ear until he drifted away in a deep sleep.

XxX

**_A/N This ending came...Faster than I expected._**

**_I don't know if I'll make another sequel to this, but I might. If I want to._**

**_Hope you liked it!_**

**_I sure did._**


End file.
